Christine Keith, Popular Housewife Blogger, Teenage Son Killed by Ex-Husband in Murder-Suicide

SHOCK: Christine Keith, writer of a popular housewife blog, and her 14-year-old son Isaac Miller, were fatally shot by her ex-husband, Randy Keith, because he refused to accept that their marriage was over. Randy Keith then committed suicide.

The three were found dead in their East Lansing, Mich., home Thursday night. Police confirmed Randy Keith was the shooter. She leaves three others kids behind. Christine Keith had been adamant about ending her marriage, after domestic abuse incidents.

Her attorney, Steve Cornish, told the Times Herald that “I had very grave concerns for her safety, but I don’t think I expected something this extreme.” A friend, Cheryl Overley said, “I was shocked, but not surprised. It’s part of the cycle of violence. For people who see this and are moved by the story of people who died before their time…I hope they learn about [domestic violence] and start discussions.”

According to a protection order filed in Ingham County Circuit Court, Christine Keith wrote in her petition, “threats of shooting me to death with one of his hunting rifles were par for the course.” She later withdrew that order.

Christine Keith had referenced her husband’s domestic abuse, including controlling, erratic and sometimes violent behavior in her first divorce filing in 2003. Police were called to their Jackson-area home after he pushed her to the floor, that left her unconscious briefly. In her petition for a second order of protection in 2011, she said her husband, who had been fired from his job and hadn’t worked in a year, threatened to kill her if she ever left him.

In her petition, filed April 8, 2011, she said “I need to be safe from Randy. Based on Randy’s consistent pattern of action, once he’s released…I will not be safe.” She filed a second divorce petition in October. It was close to being final when she was killed.